For the second consecutive season, and for the third time in four years, the Amherst College men’s soccer program is playing for a national championship.

The Mammoths defeated NESCAC rival Middlebury 2-1 in the NCAA Division III Final Four on Thursday afternoon in Las Vegas, and will battle another conference foe, Connecticut College, for yet another chance at their first national title since 2015. Amherst has dropped its last three appearances in the big game, most recently last season’s overtime bout with St. Olaf.

The championship appearance prior to that, the Mammoths faced off against Connecticut College. The Camels beat Amherst in penalty kicks after being tied through two halves and two OT periods. This season, the two sides have faced off twice. Amherst won the first meeting all the way back on Sept. 7, a 1-0 victory at Hitchcock Field in Amherst. Both squads then met in the quarterfinal round of the NESCAC tournament, where Connecticut College scooted by in penalty kicks once again.

Throughout the NCAA tournament in 2024, Amherst has won in a variety of ways – something that may help them on Saturday. A comfortable two-goal win, a win in PKs, a double overtime win or close, one-goal victories where they’ve had to hang on late in games, the Mammoths have seen it all over the past three weeks.

Although Amherst has lost its last three trips to the national championship bout, Mammoths head coach Justin Serpone said his team doesn’t talk about previous seasons – even if it’s for motivational purposes. They’re only focused on what’s in front of them, and right now, the Camels are the only thing separating Amherst and a second national title in the last 10 years.

“We’re just focused on the next game, the one in front of us,” Serpone said. “And that sounds like some sort of coach talk, but it’s not. The only way to win single elimination tournaments is by focusing on what’s in front of you. Climb the stair that’s in front of you.”

Kickoff is slated for 3 p.m. on Saturday and the game can be streamed on NCAA.com.